Flexible metallic pipe.



No. 852,580. PATENTED MAY 7, 1907.

' F. H. RUTHERFORD.

FLEXIBLE METALLIC PIPE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 13, 1906.

55 encelof thefouterflange c of; section UNITED STATES PATENT oFFIoR.

FLEXIBLE METALLIC PIPE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 7,1907.

Application filed June 13, 1906. Serial No. 321,546-

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FRANK H. RuTHER- FoRD, a citizen of the UnitedStates, and a resident of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State ofIllinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in FlexibleMetallic Pipe, of which the following is ,a clear, full, and exactdescription. Y

The object of my invention is to provide a jointed metallic pipe, whichcan be applied to many uses, but is particularly useful as a substitutefor the hose connections now in extensive use for air-brake couplings.My invention consists of a number of movably jointed pipe sections whichcan be easily moved into any position desired; which are not as liableto injury and destruction as said hose; are much more durable, and,considering their durability, much more economical. This I accomplish bythe means hereinafter fully described, and as particularly pointed outin the claims.

In the drawings :Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of one of the jointsof my invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same drawn to a smallerscale. 'Fig. 3 is a plan view of a stretch of my improved pipe, used asa substitute for air-brake hose and drawn to a still smaller scale@ Fig.4 is a plan view of a poror bulge outward the side of said sectionsiI'1- engage each other, no matter at what angle the axes of the samemay be arranged, I vault tersected by the axis of the joint, and widenthe said vaulted portion, and provide the-contacting edges of suchwidened vaulted portions of each section with inwardly and outwardlyprojecting flanges that are concentric with the axis of the joint. Theinwardly projecting flange a, of section A is, preferably, thicker thanthe outer flange 1) thereof, and the opening defined by the innercircular edge of said inner flange 0., corresponds to or is slightlygreater in diameter than the bore of the outer ends of said section.JPhe outer cirlgynf er:

sponds to that of the flange b of section A, and is screw-threaded.Screwed onto and inclosing flange c is a ring C, one end of which isprovided with an inwardly projecting circumferential flange C, that isadapted to engage flange b, and, when the collar is screwed onto flange0, will tightly clamp section A to section B.

The inner flange d of the section B does not project inward as far asflange a of section A, and thus the circular opening made by its inneredge is greater than the opening surrounded by flange a. The inner edgeof flange d is, preferably, beveled, and the outer narrower edge of aninwardly progressing involute curved gasket or packing-ring E rests uponand is clamped to this beveled surface by means of an annulus F, in suchmanner as to make the inner thicker edge of the packin'g-ring bear uponthe adjacent marginal portion of flange a. Said annulus 1* consists of aflat web extending in a plane at right angles to its axis, the innercircumference of which is provided with a lateral flange 6, whose outercircumference is provided with an undercut bevel and engages the narrowouter edge of packing E, and is adapted to clamp it and hold it againstthe beveled in- Her edge of the flange d. The outer circumference ofthis annulus is also provided with a laterally projectingcircumferential flange f, the inner circumference of which isscrewthreaded, and is adapted to engage the screwthreaded innercircumference of a circumferential groove 9, made in the opposing faceof the thickened flanged contacting edge of section B. The constructionof packing E, and the pressure of the air or steam in the pipes to whichmy invention is applied, is sufficient, ordinarily, to keep the packingbearing against the flange a to prevent leakage. Should this, however,befound to be insuflicient, I provide an involute annular spring G ofthinmetal, possessing sufficient e asticity so that when its outercircumferential edge is clamped with the narrower outer edge of thepacking E between the flange e of annulus I and the beveled innercircumference of the inner flange d of section B, its inner slit edgewill bear against the bend of the packing with sufficient pressure toprevent leakage under the packing-ring.

The opposite outer end of both sections A and B are provided with atransverse joint, which permitsthem to be revolved on the axis of thealining pipe to which they are con- IIO ' ing parallel axes or axesnected. This of the mouth rower outer edge of the inwardly progressinginvolute acking or gasket I, the inner edge of which atter advancesfarther toward the connecting pipe J, and is adapted to bear against theinner edge of an annulus or ferrule screwed onto the adjacentscrew-threaded end of the pipe J.

In order to increase the pressure of the inner annular edge of packing Iagainst the ferrule, I have introduced a coil expansionspring betweenthe reduced portion of bell H and the bend of the packing, whicheil'ectually accomplishes this object. The ferrule j is provided with anoutwardly projecting flange 7c, and pipes J are secured to sections A orB, by means of a sleeve K, the inner screw-threaded portion of whichengages the outer screw-threaded circumference of bell H, and theinwardly projecting flange m at the opposite end of which catches backof flange lc, and, when'thesleeve is properly tightened, securely clampspipe J and its ferrule to section A, in such manner as to per- 1 Initthe rotative movement of the latter on the former.

If desired sections A and B can be further secured to each other bymeans of a pivotal bolt M extending axially through the vaulted walls ofsaid sections, which has cushioned nuts N, n, on its extendedscrew-threaded end. While desirable, these pivotal bolts may bedispensed with.

In operation, when it is proposed to bend my improved pipe, one section(either A or B) of the jointed portion, is rotated on the oblique axisof the joint while the other section is held stationary until thedesired position is reached. If it is impossible to reach the exactposition Wished for by doing this, the obliquely ointed sections A and Bare retated on the axes of pipes J, J, so as to change the position ofthe plane of the meeting edges of the oblique joint, and then eithersaid section A or B is rotated as stated. I

It is possible to bend my improved pipe so I as to make it describe anyang e or curve desired, and to connect pipes or passages havarranged atangles to each other, as well as pipes having alining axes.

For the purpose of assisting in the manipulation oi pipes J, J, andrendering it easier to rotate either of the sections on the axis of theoblique joint uniting them, I have oilset one of said sections as at.X,(Fig. 2), so that the axes of the stub ends A, B, and the pipes J, J, I

connected thereto, will not aline. This, as experience has demonstrated,very materially assists in rotating said stubs by providing a leverage,which is greater or less according to the extent oi the offset, by meansof which greater power can be exerted than where the application ofmanual effort is confined to a simple movement 01' the wrist.

In Fig. 4 otthe drawings I show my invention applied to the automaticair-brake coupler 2 of railway cars. In this application thecoupling-head is provided on one side with a stub 3 projecting obliquelyto the rear therefrom. The rear end of this stub has a trans versepivotal joint 4 connecting it to the ad jacent stub 5 of the obliquejoint 6, and the opposite stub 7 ol this oblique joint 6 is connected tothe adjacent bent end of a pipe 8 by a transverse joint 4. Joints 4 areconstructed substantially the same as the transverse joints, inclosedand connected by the sleeve K, as shown in Fig. l of the drawings, andthe oblique joint 6 is likewise constructed substantially the same asthe oblique joints shown in said Fig. 1 of the drawings. The

. end of pipe 8 farthest from the oblique section 6 has a return bend 9connected thereto by a transverse oint 4, and the opposite end of thisbend 9 is connected by the same kind of a transverse joint 4, to thebent end of the line-pipe 10 of the air-brake system of the car. 'ihismethod of connecting the pipe 10 to the coupling 2, permits the couplingto move into any position into which its use is likely to bring it.

In Fig. 3 otthe drawings I show my im proved invention used as asubstitute for an ordinary air-brake hose-coupling. In this relation itis not subject nor liable to injury by means which irequently destroythe util ity of the ordinary hose-coupling entirely, and it is notsubject to physical deterioration are hose couplings of rubber andtextile fabrics.

What Iclaim as new is 1. A flexible metallic pipe comprising two or moreconnected sections, one of which is divided mediate its ends in a planeoblique to its axis to form a oint the engaging edges of which are eachprovided with an inwardly projecting flange the inner edges of each ofwhich are concentric to the axis of the oint, and are of differentdiameters in respect to each other, a packing suitably secured to theflange the diameter of Whose edge is greater, and pressing against themargins of. the inner edge of the flange the diameter of whose edge issmaller, and means interposed between said flanges for securing saidpacking to the first mentioned flange.

2. A flexible metallic pipe comprising two or more connected sections,one of which is divided mediate its ends in a plane oblique to its axisto form a oint the engaging edges of which are each provided with aninwardly projecting flange the inner edges of each of which areconcentric to the axis of the joint, and are of diflerent diameters inrespect to each other, an inwardly progressing involute curved packingsuitably secured in the flange the diameter of whose edges is greater,and pressing against the margins of the inner edge of the flange thediameter of whose edge is smaller.

3. A flexible metallic pipe comprising two or more connected sections,one of which is divided mediate its ends in a plane oblique to its axisto form a joint the engaging edges of which are each provided with aninwardly projecting flange the inner edges of each of which areconcentric to the axis of the joint, and are of different diameters inrespect to each other, an inwardly progressing involute curved packingsuitably secured in the flange the diameter of whose edges is greater,and pressing against the margins of the inner edge of the flange thediameter of whose edges is smaller and a spring engaging and pressingupon said packing.

4. A flexible metallic pipe comprising two or more connected sections,one of Which is divided mediate its ends in a plane oblique to its axisto form a joint the engaging edges of which are each provided with aninwardly projecting flange the inner edges of each of which areconcentric to the axis of the joint, and are of different diameters inrespect to each other, an inwardly progressing involute curved packingsuitably secured in the flange the diameter of whose edges is greater,and pressing against the margins of the inner edge of the flange thediameter of whose edges is smaller and an inwardly progressing involutespring engaging and pressing upon said packing.

5. A flexible metallic pipe comprising two or more connected sections,one of which is divided mediate its ends in a plane oblique to its axisto form a joint the en aging edges of which are each provided wit1 aninwardly projecting flange the inner edges of each of which areconcentric to the axis of the joint, and are of different diameters inrespect to each other, an inwardly progressing involute curved packingsuitably secured in the flange the diameter of whose edges is greater,and pressing against the margins of the inner edge of the flange thediameter of whose edges is smaller and an inwardly progressing involutespring having its inner edge slit and engaging and pressing upon saidpacking.

6. A flexible metallic pipe one section of which has a portion thereofoflset and has the other portion jointed to the opposite section of saidpipe in a plane oblique to the axis of the same.

7. Aflexible metallic pipe consisting of several sections pivotallyjointed to each other in transverse planes, one of said sectionsconsisting of two which are pivotally jointed together in a planeoblique to the axis of the parts where they are jointed, and one of saidparts having the end thereof opposite said joint offset.

8. A flexible metallic pipe comprising two 7 or more connected sections,one of which is pivotally connected at one end to its companion sectionin a transverse plane, and mediate its ends is divided in a plane intotwo parts and the edges resulting from such 7 5 division pivotallyconnected together and one of said parts having its longitudinal axisoflset.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my handand seal this 2d day ofJune, A. D., 80

FRANK H. RUTHERFORD. [L s] Witnesses:

FRANK D. THOMASON, E. K. LUNDY.

parts, the meeting edges of 6

